History of the FEI World Equestrian Games

It was decided to designate Stockholm’s 1912 Olympic Stadium as the main arena for the 1990 WEG. It had, of course, undergone several reconstructions since 1912 and with the 1990 WEG in mind, the city authorities opted for a major renovation of the stadium. No equestrian competition of comparable magnitude involving all six FEI disciplines had been organised prior to 1990. Moreover, given that Stockholm had not organised equestrian events for a number of years, the Organising Committee made good use of the time leading up to the Games and held test events in one or two disciplines each year. This careful preparation certainly contributed to the great success of the Games. 

From a sporting point of view, the 1990 WEG were a glorious success blessed with unbelievably fine weather. On the financial side, sponsorship income surpassed the goals and the ticketing revenue turned out to be very impressive as all the disciplines attracted numerous spectators. The successes of the 1990 WEG must also be attributed to the considerable involvement of the Swedish National Federation. The number of staff members working for the Games gradually increased and Ulf Rosengren, the Federation Secretary General, became the very successful Organising Committee Director. This involvement payed off, as there is little doubt that the Games had a tremendous influence on the development of equestrian sport in Sweden.

A Total of 37 countries participated in the 1990 World Equestrian Games.

For more information on the first WEG, please consult our factsheet

While reflecting on the tremendous success in the aftermath of the first World Equestrian Games in Stockholm, then FEI President, HRH Prince Philip warned that "three years is insufficient for any Federation to put together the very large and sophisticated organisation that is needed to manage such an event", words which proved to be very prophetic…

Indeed, the 1994 World Equestrian Games were, unfortunately, unable to sustain the momentum gathered during the first ever WEG. The second WEG, at The Hague in The Netherlands in 1994, was dogged by organisational and administrative chaos and ended in financial bankruptcy. Initially, the event was allocated in March 1991 to Paris but the French project fell apart and a few months later the second-placed bidders from Holland eagerly took on the task. Despite their enormous enthusiasm and Holland's excellent reputation for show management and sponsorship acquisition, the event was seriously marred by a number of issues including site management.

To date, the 1994 edition is mainly remembered for the financial disaster it turned out to be and the enormous organisational problems inherent throughout the preparation stages and the event. These circumstances were all the more regrettable as they overshadowed the sports performances which were very impressive. The sport in all its disciplines was of the highest level with many outstanding moments. The Games were generally followed by a large number of spectators; however, the numbers could have been even greater had the ticketing process worked properly.

A Total of 37 Countries participated in the 1994 World Equestrian Games.

For more information on the 1994 WEG in The Hague, please consult our factsheet

The 1998 World Equestrian Games were allocated to Dublin even before the 1994 edition had taken place and unfortunately, despite the very good initial plans, there were various problems which had become apparent from the very beginning. Finally, the Dublin Organising Committee was forced to give up. For a second time, the originally successful bidder failed to live up to their promises and the saga of the Dublin allocation makes for painful recollection. During Gothenburg Show in 1996, two years after Dublin celebrated its successful bid campaign, it was announced that the Irish Government had withdrawn its support from the event.

The abandonment of the project was dramatic as Ireland is a country with a very thoroughly developed horse tradition. In this difficult situation the FEI Executive Board was very happy that several countries showed interest to organise the 1998 WEG in spite of the short notice. In a desperate effort to pick up the pieces the FEI examined the alternatives of Aachen and Rome and, opting for the latter, were rewarded with nothing short of a miracle. Some four months after the withdrawal of Dublin, Rome was chosen as the official venue for the 1998 Games. Particular credit goes to the Italian NF President Cesare Croce, who showed much courage in taking the project over.

If, as FEI President Prince Philip suggested in 1991, three years does not allow a sufficient preparation period to organise a colossal event such as the World Equestrian Games then how on earth did the Italians manage to do it in a year? Sheer determination and the will to give it their best shot was the key, and against all the odds the WEG in Rome in 1998 was nothing short of a triumph.

Similarly to Stockholm and The Hague, the sport in Rome was excellent. Financial aspects were skilfully handled mainly by Andrea Riffeser of Monrif Group, an important Italian publishing company, and as far as can be ascertained, all WEG expenses were covered.

A Total of 42 Countries participated in the 1998 World Equestrian Games.

For more information on the 1998 WEG in Rome, please consult our factsheet

When the fourth World Equestrian Games were staged in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain in 2002, the future of the fixture was hanging in the balance; a natural response to a rather chequered history. Another disaster would definitely put an end to the event; the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease in Europe in 2001 did nothing to boost confidence in its survival. However this time, the equestrian community breathed a sigh of relief, when sufficient financial backing and thorough organization led to a very successful edition of the World Equestrian Games. Indeed, Jerez 2002 kicked off in style and was afterwards hailed a great success. A success which proved that, when well organised; they are truly the crown of the FEI Championships.

For the first time, the WEG included seven disciplines with Reining making a strong and most appreciated first appearance. The great spectator attendance and the attention from the media brought considerable benefits to the host city as well as the whole province.

Moreover, Andalusia, the Spanish province where Jerez is located, is a true horse country enjoying a rich equestrian tradition going back centuries. Jerez is the city of the Real Escuela Andaluza del Arte Equestre (Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art), a major ambassador for the area. A Total of 48 Countries participated in the 2002 World Equestrian Games.

For more information on the 2002 WEG in Jerez de la Frontera, please consult our factsheet

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